On April 29 Captains Somerset’s,[207] Lord Alexander Russell’s[208] and Woodford’s companies (with some Fingoes, and Cape Corps) fell in at 4 in the morning, and were ordered to move forward in perfect silence. Somerset with a 6-pounder went round by a road; while the remaining two companies advanced over most rough and broken ground to the edge of the Waterkloof, which, in consequence of its being perfectly dark, rendered the march extremely difficult. Daylight was just appearing when they caught sight of some Kaffir fires. Colonel Buller passed the word to extend, and the two companies advanced. The Kaffir ‘Whoop’ was soon heard, and firing commenced when they were about 200 yards from the first kraal. From this the Kaffirs fled to the bush and the rocks, taking cover behind the rocks as the Riflemen came on. They set fire to the huts, and still advancing and searching every bush and hiding place, emerged on the plain beyond. Somerset’s company with the gun now joined them on the left. They soon came in sight of another kraal, and the gun was unlimbered and a shell thrown into it. The Riflemen still advanced; and the Kaffirs kept up a brisk fire from the bush, and from a hill just beyond. Here the three companies made a halt; and eventually returned to camp, as the force was not strong enough to attempt the hill, where the Kaffirs greatly outnumbered them. In this patrol, Lieutenant Godfrey and 3 men were wounded. The place was called Mundell’s Krantz, and was in fact the place where Colonel Fordyce had been killed. The three companies reached the camp about 2 o’clock after a march of 18 miles. Kaffirs hovered on their rear during their march back; but did not venture within range. On May 3 another patrol, consisting of four companies started at half-past two A.M., as some Kaffirs were said to be in Engelbrecht’s kloof. Of these one company joined a party of the 74th Regiment at Post Retief; and starting thence at 3 in the afternoon marched about 12 miles along the Koonap, which they forded seven times; and occupied for the night a ruined farm-house which they reached at dark. On the next morning they marched about 5, again crossing several streams, some of them very dangerous from the slippery state of the rocks, in falling from which one Rifleman dislocated his knee. At 9 o’clock they fell in with the remaining companies, which were posted on a hill in front of them; but the scouts came in with intelligence that the Kaffirs had all left the kloof, and the patrol returned to the camp at Bear’s farm.